Candidates spar in final California gubernatorial debate as primary nears

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Our other top story, your voice, your vote. Tonight, the top candidates for California governor shared the same stage for what was likely the final debate before the June 2nd primary election. The public forum to make their pitches on the issues comes at a critical time for the candidates. With early voting underway, gubernatorial hopefuls clashed over how to lower costs for Californians and improve public education while also firing some political jabs. Action News reporter Vincent Camaro is at the live desk tonight with how this political power positioning played out. Vincent, >> Margot, tonight the candidates picked up right where they left off, sending personal jabs at each other once again.

[00:00:40]But no one saw more than emerging front runner Javier Bera, who found himself taking heat from both sides. And with ballots already in hand, this could be the group's last showing before voters send in their pick for the primary election.

[00:00:51]>> I I have a question for you as well. In what could be their final debate before the primary election, the top seven candidates for California governor shared the stage once again. Democrat Javier Basera writing a recent surge of momentum caught in the crosshairs early.

[00:01:05]>> You shouldn't be on the stage. You shouldn't be in this race. You should be preparing your criminal defense.

[00:01:12]>> This is what happens when you take the lead in the polls and you're ahead of everyone else. They all come at you.

[00:01:18]Basera's former adviser and campaign consultant have both pleaded guilty in a scheme to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars from one of his campaign accounts, though he is not named in the indictment. He stands by his innocence.

[00:01:30]Fellow Democrat Katie Porter, though, remains uncertain.

[00:01:33]>> You know, that does not preclude an indictment from being issued against you.

[00:01:37]>> As I've said from day one, I was not involved in the wrongdoing. Uh, I had nothing to do with that, Mr. Mayan. San Jose Mayor Matt Mayan clashed with billionaire Democrat Tommy Styer over plans to ease the cost of living for Californians.

[00:01:50]>> The answer is to put more money in people's pockets by bringing down costs.

[00:01:55]Tommy Styer's structural tra change sounds to me more like socialism. Those are the people who I'm going to be taking on. The people who are using their market power to rip off Californians and make our costs go through the roof.

[00:02:07]>> Mr. Hilton, you have one minute. Trump backed Republican favorite Steve Hilton continued his call for change after 16 years of Democratic leadership in the state.

[00:02:15]>> He supports the policies that have made housing and gas the most expensive in the country. We need a change from those policies, not more of the same.

[00:02:24]>> And as Fresno Unified, California's third largest school district, prepares for its own round of layoffs, the candidates were asked how they would improve the state's educational system and raise student performance. Many of them pointing to teachers salaries as a solution.

[00:02:38]>> Administration in our school systems get half of the money. That is why we are failing.

[00:02:44]>> The way we get great outcomes for kids is to attract teachers, train them, and retain them. And we are not attracting them because we can't. They won't come for the money.

[00:02:54]>> We are now just weeks away from this crowded race being narrowed down to two candidates. The two names that will remain on the ballot in November. At the live desk, Vince Camrio, ABC30 Action News.